Acetylene-gas generator.



H. G. COPENHAGEN.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 2, 1913.

1,123,691 Patented Jan.5,1915.

6 GM I flm m mm A TTOR/V E Y HE NORRIS PETERS C04. PHOTO-LITH"WASHINGTON n r HERMAN G. GOPEN'HAGEN, OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON.

AGETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

Application filed July 2, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERMAN C. COPEN- HAG-EN,a citizen of the United States, residing at Auburn, in the county ofKing and State of Washington, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Acetylene Gas Generators, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to acetylene gas generators such as are employedby contractors or the like for producing a strong light.

The object is the provision of improvements in devices of this characterto render the same more safe, efficient and economical in constructionand in the consumption of carbid.

To these ends the invention consists in the novel construction andcombination of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectionof apparatus embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlargedcross sectional view of the burner with the light-reflector attached. 3is a sectional detail view taken through 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is afragmentary elevational view of the lower end of the generator orgasometer vessel to illustrate the devices for releasably securingthereto the frame which supports the carbid container.

The reference numeral 5 represents an open-top water container or tankdesirably of a cylindrical form and provided with handles 6 forconvenience in carrying.

7 represents a vessel of less diameter than said tank, open at thebottom, and formed with a top wall 8 which is preferably conical. 9represents a horizontal partition dividing the vessel 7 into twochambers 10 and 11 which respectively serve as gas gener ator and washercompartments. Removably secured to the vessel 7 and extending upwardlyinto the chamber 10 is a skeleton frame comprising upright members 12and ring members 13 which are rigidly connect ed together.

The members 12 serve as legs for supporting the frame in uprightposition when the same is removed from the vessel. For detachablysecuring the frame to the vessel 1 provide upon the outside of thelatter protuberances such as 14, Fig. 1, which are respectively engagedby hooks 15 provlded Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915..

Serial No. 776,918.

on upwardly directed lower extremities of the frame members 12. Toremove the frame from the vessel the latter is first partially rotatedwhile the frame is supported on the ground to move the protuberancesfrom the hooks, whereupon the vessel may be raised independently of theframe.

Secured by wires or otherwise to the upper ring-member of the frame is aforaminated pan or basket 16 in which the carbid is placed. Said basketis of less depth than the frame and is disposed so that when the frameis inserted in the vessel 7 the bottom of thebasket will be above thelower end of the vessel. Extending upwardly from the upper end of thechamber 10 to a distance above the top of the vessel is a pipe 17 havingits upper end connected with the end of a horizontal pipe 18 whose otherend is connected to a pipe 19 which extends downwardly into the chamber11 and terminating in proximity to the bottom thereof. These pipes notonly serve as a conduit for gas to flow from the chamber 10 into chamber11 but also as a handle or bail whereby the vessel is most convenientlyinserted into or withdrawn from the tank 5, an important function.

In the pipe 19 is an opening which is normally closed by a screw-plug 20whereby water may be introduced into the chamber 11 for the purpose ofcleaning and. cooling the gas which passes therethrough.

Connected with the chamber 11 is an upright gas draw-off pipe 21 whichis secured to the apex of the conical wall 8 and likewise to thepartition 9. The pipe 21 is provided near the top of the chamber 11 withinlet holes 22 and is rigidly connected with a cross-fitting 23 to whichis also connected a delivery pipe 24 disposed in axial alinement withthe draw-01f pipe 21. The before mentioned pipe 18 extends laterallythrough the cross-fitting and fits tight in the branch outlets thereofso that the various pipes serve to mutually support each other throughthe medium of the coupling afforded by the cross-fitting. The body orcentral portion of the cross-fitting is of sufficient size to provide acommunication between the pipes 21 and 2 1 about the interposed pipe 18as will be understood from an inspection of Fig. 8. Secured to the upperend of the delivery pipe 24 IS an elbow 25 which is connected to the endof a nipple 26 whose other end is connected to a screw threaded unionelement 27.

28 represents the burner-tube having at one end a collar 29 whichconstitutes the union element complementary to the element 27 to whichit is secured in axial alinement by means of the union nut 30. Near itsouter end, the burner-tube is formed with a bend 31 and terminates in anarm 32. Said arm is provided with an external screw-thread 33 forengaging with the screw-thread provided interiorly of the attachment 3 1provided on a light reflector 35.

Within the end of the arm 32 is a screwthreaded socket 36 to receive thethreaded end of a burner-tip 37. This tip is of a substantially tubularform and is provided intermediate its length with a partition 38 whichis bored with a relatively small hole 39 which serves as the burnerorifice. Said orifice opens into the rear end of a cavity 40 formed inthe outer end of the tip and by such an arrangement the flame emittedfrom the orifice does not become extinguished by winds when theapparatus is employed in exposed situations.

The burner-tip orifice is disposed at a dis tance in advance of the backof the reflector and the mouth of the tip, as will be noted, protrudesbeyond the orifice, whereby such smoke as is produced in the burning ofgas is discharged beyond the reflector instead of being deposited on thereflector to render the same ineffective.

41 represents a valve provided in the delivery pipe 24 to regulate theflow of gas therethrough to the burner, and 42 is a pet cock or anequivalent for discharging air from the delivery pipe prior to lightingthe burner.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The carbid, desirably inlump form, is supplied to the basket 16, the basket-carrying frame isthen inserted in the chamber 10 of vessel 7 and secured to the latter byengaging the hooked arms 12 of the frame to the protuberances 14:. Theplug 20 is temporarily withdrawn and the chamber 11 nearly filled withwater. After replacing said lu the vessel containin the char e of carbidis placed in the tank 5. Water is then poured into the tank to its brimand about the vessel 7 while the operator prevents the vessel fromfloating by pushing down upon one of the pipes, as 18. The pet cock 4-2is now opened, whereupon the pressure due to the head of water in thetank asserts itself to expel the air from the vessel chamber 10 which isdischarged through the medium of the communicating pipes and the petcock, into the surrounding atmosphere. The water then ascends to replacethe air within the chamber 10 and encountering the carbid effects thegeneration of acetylene gas which is produced under pressure to completethe driving out of the air from the referred to pipes and the part ofchamber 11 which is unoccupied by water. \Vhen the emission of gas fromthe pet cock is noticed, the cock 1:2 is closed and valve 41 opened forthe supply of gas for combustion at the burner-tip 37. The operator nowdiscontinues holding down the vessel 7; the latter being thus releasedwill be free to rise or sink in the tank as influenced by the quantityof gas within the vessel; that is to saywhen the gas is produced withinthe chamber 10 in greater quantities than is consumed at the burner, thegas pressure bearing down upon the water lowers the level thereof tobelow the basket containing the carbid, or the vessel 7 will be raisedto elevate the basket containing the carbid above the level of the waterin chamber 10, with a consequent interruption in the generation of gas.Should the gas at any moment be consumed at a more rapid rate thanproduced, the gas pressure within the chamber 10 is reduced and thewater is free to ascend into such chamber to again attack the carbid.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the production of gas isregulated in accordance to the demand and when the valve 4:1 is shut offthe vessel 7 is raised to lift the basket 16 out of the water and themaking of gas is thereby stopped. These are important functions, firstby affording an approximately uniform supply of gas when the apparatusis in operation, and then stopping the destruction or waste of thecarbid. which may remain in the basket after the torch has beenextinguished by shutting off the valve 41.

The water contained within the chamber 11 has primarily to serve forwashing and cooling the gas which passes therethrough. A further officeof the water within this chamber is to furnish weight to the vessel,which becomes operative when the upper part of the latter is raisedabove the surrounding Water in the tank and in opposition to thepressure actuated by the gas within the vessel which tends to raise thesame.

The gas cooling and washing chamber 11 together with the various pipeconnections of the gasometer chamber 10 and the burner, are allconnected to move as a single piece, thereby requiring no flexible pipesor movable oints in such connections.

To adjust the reflector into position to direct the light in a verticalplane upon an object, the union nut 30 is loosened and the burner-tube28 is rotated on its axis and when the axis of the reflector is broughtinto suitable angular position relative to the horizontal, the burner issecured by the nut.

The directing of the reflector in a horizontal plane is eflected bysuitably turning the burner, etc., With the vessel 7 about the verticalaxis of the latter Within the tank or the entire apparatus may beturned.

In practice, the tilting efiect due to the burner and the partssupported thereby being to one side of the axis of the vessel, Willcause the vessel to lean with sufiicient force against the innerperiphery of the tank to prevent the vessel being accidentally movedfrom an adjusted rotary position, as for ex ample, against the influenceof Winds acting upon the reflector.

The invention is extremely simple, safe and efiicient.

What I claim, is

In apparatus of the class described, a Water containing tank, aninverted vessel disposed Within said tank, said vessel having upper andlower compartments, an inverted U-shaped pipe having one end openinginto the lower compartment and the other end opening into the uppercompartment and constituting a means for manually shifting the vessel, across-fitting inclosing the bend of the U-shaped pipe, a pipe extendingbetween the upper compartment and the crossfitting and a gas lead 01?pipe extending from said fitting to a burner.

Signed at Seattle Wash, this 27th day of June, 1913.

HERMAN C. CGPENHAGEN. Witnesses:

PIERRE BARNES, E. PETERSON.

Copiers of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G."

